6 Week Transfers

April 22, 2013

Dear Family,

Well, the mission is split into 6 week transfers and there is 16 transfers for a gringo. I am now in my 16^th and wow, how time flies. I will be home in 6 weeks and that's so crazy to me. I'm pretty excited to see everyone. I feel like I really just got here but at the same time, it has been a long journey.

Jimmy Avila finally got married to his wife Marcia Astudillo Saturday at 3. We had a little party at a members house with the members of the ward (I made a cake). They were so happy. They have been working so hard but the government kept asking for more and more papers. Here, the Bishop can't marry people, so it's harder but they finally were able to get married after 3 months of fasting and prayers. Jimmy got baptized on Saturday and got the Aaronic Priesthood Sunday. On the 2^nd of June he will get the Melchizedek Priesthood, right before I go home. I really hope to be able to come back to see them get sealed in the temple in a year. I don't know how, but I gotta figure that out cuz Roberto will be getting sealed to Mery and Jimmy to Marcia the same time, so I have got to be here for that. I learned that baptisms don't matter. It's really just how many people make it to the temple that's what gets you back to God.

There's a lot of pressure in the mission to baptize “easy people”. I'm not in agreement with that. The easy ones usually don't stay in the church, but everyone wants numbers so they just baptize easy people but forget about anyone that has a little challenge. But I know all the people that have had to work for their baptism are still active. In Milagro, Elsa Ulloa is 2^nd counselor in the Relief Society.

I really do love the mission and I feel so sad about the people who I've baptized and aren't active but I'm so happy about the ones that are and that makes it all so worth it. I was looking through my pics and, wow, many made me want to come to tears cuz of all the stories and loved ones I have here. I can't wait to show you all the pics and tell you all the stories behind the pics better than I can in a letter. There are many special stories. I'll tell you all about it when I get home.

As a new missionary, I worried about not having stories to tell and looking through the pics the other day, I really have had a great mission. I don't have any regrets. I've done all that I've wanted to and seen so many people change their lives. There are always things that bug you and that you really don't agree with in the leadership of the mission or ideas of others but I suppose that will be found in all parts of the world. I've been really torn about some things until I feel really bad because I don't support it, but then I found out God gave me a mind and free agency to do what I feel is right to help the people I know I should even if I don't get the numbers others think I should have. The mission is such a great learning experience and I will remember these things for the rest of my life.

I still don't really know if it's hit me that I'm ending soon, but I hope it don't until right before I go so I don't get trunky.

I love you guys a lot. Thanks for supporting me so much here in the mission.

Love,  Elder Profaizer

P.S. To answer your questions

I still don't really know how to cook, haha, just rice and that crap. I will never cook that again in my life, I swear never!!! I do like food with more flavor than I did before though and I've learned to eat a lot of stuff I really hate.

We have a great lady that helps us and washes our clothes. It's different in all parts. Some charge a small fee for detergent and some charge more cuz they come to your house to drop the clothes off which is so worth it because there's just no time to worry about that.

Yes I saw conference and wow, it was great. I feel like I get more and more out of it the longer I'm in the mission. I'm sure I'll appreciate it so much more when I get home than I did before the mission.

I took out $100 today to keep me afloat. I bought some jeans last week also to bring home. I'm keeping an eye out for stuff cheaper here than the states, but for the most part, quality stuff costs more here cuz it's imported from the states, haha, funny how that works.